FUNNEL AND STAND FOR BAG
Disclosed is a bag stand including a hollow stand having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the hollow stand including at least one side panel, each side panel having two ends, each end of each side panel connected to an adjacent end of a side panel to form a substantially continuous outer surface and a substantially continuous inner surface thereby defining an opening along the top end of the hollow stand; and a funnel interfacing with the top end of the hollow stand and having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, a bottom end, and at least two side ends, the funnel defining an opening at each of the top end and the bottom end of the funnel, the top end of the funnel having a larger opening and the bottom end of the funnel having a smaller opening.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/357,516 filed on Jun. 22, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
FIELDThe disclosure relates to refuse. More particularly, the disclosure relates to bagging refuse and filling refuse bags.
The features and components of the following figures are illustrated to emphasize the general principles of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures may be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity.
Disclosed is a bag stand used primarily for holding and filling refuse bags. The bag stand includes a hollow stand and a funnel It should be emphasized that the embodiments described herein are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and all combinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspects discussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.
One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while alternative embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular embodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
Various implementations described in the present disclosure may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may not necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.
The hollow stand 110 in the current embodiment includes four side panels 130,140 (150,160 not shown). It should be noted that the hollow stand 110 may have any number of side panels, and the selection of four side panels for the current embodiment should not connote any preference for any number of panels or shape for each panel. In the current embodiment, each of the side panels 130,140,150,160 has a top end, a bottom end, a left end, and a right end. Side panel 130 includes a top end 132, a bottom end 134, a left end 136, and a right end 138. Side panel 140 includes a top end 142, a bottom end 144, a left end 146, and a right end 148. Side panel 150 (not shown in
All connections to which this disclosure refers may be any connection sufficient to hold together the elements to be connected, including an integrated construction, glue, a notched end, or other types of connecting means.
Each side panel 130,140,150,160 has a flat outer surface 139,149,159,169, respectively, although the outer surface of each side panel 130,140,150,160 may be any shape in alternative embodiments. Although the side panels 130,140,150,160 are shown as all rectangular in shape and continuous, the side panels 130,140,150,160 may be of any shape and need not be continuous. For example, a small bar may fit within the definition of a side panel 130,140,150,160 if it replaces a side panel 130,140,150,160 in the current or another embodiment.
In the current embodiment, two sets of side panels exist to create a rectangular configuration. Side panels 140 and 160 are dimensioned so that their left ends 146,166 are a linear distance from their right ends 148,168, the linear distances being equal for each of the two side panels 140,160. Side panels 130 and 150 likewise are dimensioned so that their left ends 136,156 are a linear distance from their right ends 138,158, the linear distances being equal for each of the two side panels 130,150. In the current embodiment, the linear distance between the left ends 136,156 and the right ends 138,158 of the side panels 130,150, respectively, is greater than the linear distance between the left ends 146,166 and right ends 148,168 of side panels 140,160, respectively. The linear distances in the current embodiment are dimensioned to allow the hollow stand 110 to fit inside of a refuse bag 710 (seen in
The funnel 120 includes four upper funnel panels 170,180,190,200. Each upper funnel panel 170,180,190,200 has a top end 172,182,192,202, a bottom end 174,184 (194,204 not shown), a left end 176,186,196 (not shown),206, and a right end 178,188,198,208 (not shown), respectively. As with the hollow stand 110, each upper funnel panel 170,180,190,200 is oriented so that its right end is connected with the left end of an adjacent upper funnel panel 180,190,200,170. As such, left end 186 is connected to right end 178, left end 196 is connected to right end 188, left end 206 is connected to right end 198, and left end 176 is connected to right end 208. In some embodiments, complete attachment of all upper funnel panels 170,180,190,200 is not necessary as long as the funnel 120 is operational as a funnel Each upper funnel panel 170,180,190,200 has an inner surface and an outer surface: upper funnel panel 170 has inner surface 177 (not shown) and outer surface 179, upper funnel panel 180 has inner surface 187 (not shown) and outer surface 189, upper funnel panel 190 has inner surface 197 and outer surface 199 (not shown), and upper funnel panel 200 has inner surface 207 and outer surface 209 (not shown).
Some of the connections between upper funnel panels 170,180,190,200 are integrated. At such connections, a bend line is included to allow a user to bend the unattached funnel 120 into its final funnel shape of
The interaction between upper funnel panel 170 and upper funnel panel 200 between left end 176 and right end 208 is not integrated in the current embodiment. Connected to upper funnel panel 200 is a connection tab 220. The connection tab 220 has a left end 226 and a right end 228. The connection tab 220 is connected by its left end 226 to the right end 208 of the upper funnel panel 200. The connection tab 220 has a slot 225 which is a cutout from the material. The connection tab 220 also has a top end 222 and a bottom end 224. The top end 222 extends at a downward angle from the top end 202 of the upper funnel panel 200. The bottom end 224 extends linearly at the same angle as the bottom end 204 of the upper funnel panel 200. The connection tab 220 has an inner surface 227 and an outer surface 229 (not shown). A bend line 213 is located at the connection of right end 208 and left end 226.
Connected to the left end 176 of the upper funnel panel 170 is an insertable tab 230. The insertable tab 230 has a connected end 232 and a terminating end 234. The connected end 232 is connected to the left end 176 of the upper funnel panel 170. The connection of the connected end 232 to the left end 176 is integrated in the current embodiment, having a bend line 214 which is a crease in the current embodiment. Other connections, including perforated or weakened regions, are contemplated as described previously in this disclosure. The insertable tab 230 is detached from the upper funnel panel 170 except along the connected end 232. The insertable tab 230 has a shank portion 235 and ear portions 236a,b. The ear portions 236a,b can be any shape, including circular, semi-circular, and triangular, among others. In the current embodiment, the ear portions 236a,b each have a diagonal cutoff 237a,b so that each ear portion 236a,b is a right trapezoid shape.
Along the interior of the funnel blank are four lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270. Each lower funnel panel 240,250,260,270 has an inner surface 247,257,267,277 and an outer surface 249,259,269,279, respectively (outer surfaces not shown). The lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 each have an upper end 242,252,262,272, respectively. The lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 are connected by their upper ends 242,252,262,272 to the bottom ends 174,184,194,204 of the upper funnel panels 170,180,190,200, respectively. In the current embodiment, the connections are integrated construction, although other connections are intended to be included in this disclosure. In the current embodiment, the lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 are not connected to each other.
In some embodiments, lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 will not be included at all, as the upper funnel panels 170,180,190,200 may suffice for the intended purpose. In some embodiments, some of the lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 may be removed. In some embodiments, all features of the lower funnel panels or any portions or attachments may not be included if unnecessary for the specific embodiment.
As seen, not all of the lower funnel panels are the same. In the current embodiment, lower funnel panels 240 and 260 are about the same shape, but lower funnel panels 250 and 270 each include distinct features. Because the funnel 120 is made from one corrugated cardboard funnel blank, end portions of one lower funnel panel 240,250,260,270 correspond to end portions of adjacent lower funnel panels. For example, the end portions of lower funnel panel 250 correspond to end portions of lower funnel panel 260 and of lower funnel panel 240.
Lower funnel panel 240 includes the upper end 242, a bottom end 244, a left end 246, and a right end 248. Extending from about the middle of the left end 246 to the bottom end 244 is a draft 245, which is a mirror of a draft 243 on the right end 248. Similarly, lower funnel panel 260 includes the upper end 262, a bottom end 264, a left end 266, and a right end 268. Extending from about the middle of the left end 266 to the bottom end 264 is a draft 265, which is a mirror of a draft 263 on the right end 268. Lower funnel panels 240 and 260 are generally rectangular in shape, excepting that the drafts 243,245 and 263,265 effectively remove corners of the rectangular shape on the bottom ends 244,264.
Lower funnel panel 250 includes the upper end 252, a bottom end 254, a left end 256, and a right end 258. Each of the left end 256 and right end 258 of lower funnel panel 250 includes a cut-in portion 255,253, respectively, corresponding to the right end 248 of the lower funnel panel 240 and the left end 266 of the lower funnel panel 260. The left end 256 includes a draft portion 251 and the right end 258 includes a draft portion 241 which angle from the end of each cut-in portion 255,253 to the bottom end 254 of the lower funnel panel 250.
Lower funnel panel 270 includes the upper end 272, a bottom end 274, a left end 276, and a right end 278. Each of the left end 276 and right end 278 includes a cut-in portion 275,273 corresponding to the right end 268 of the lower funnel panel 260 and the left end 246 of the lower funnel panel 240. The left end 276 includes a draft portion 271 which angles from the end of the cut-in portion 275 to the bottom end 274 of the lower funnel panel 270. The right end 278 includes a straight portion 261 which extends from the end of the cut-in portion 273 to the bottom end 274 of the lower funnel panel 270.
Lower funnel panels 250 and 270 are generally trapezoidal in shape in the current embodiment.
None of the lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 need be any specific shape, so long as they function as described in this disclosure.
Extending toward the inside of the funnel blank of
Also included in the current embodiment of the hollow stand are relief punchout panels 334,344,354,364. The relief punchout panels 334,344,354,364 included in the current embodiment are substantially rectangular in shape, although they may be of any shape sufficient to perform the function for which they are included, and all applicable shapes are intended to be included in this disclosure. Each relief punchout panel 334,344,354,364 has a bottom end 336,346,356,366, a top end 337,347,357,367, a left end 338,348,358,368, and a right end 339,349,359,369, respectively. Each bottom end 336,346,356,366 is colinear with the corresponding bottom end 134,144,154,164 of each corresponding side panel 130,140,150,160, respectively. Rounded or filleted corners 365a,375a,385a,395a are located at the intersection of each top end 337,347,357,367 with each left end 338,348,358,368, respectively. Rounded or filleted corners 365b,375b,385b,395b are located at the intersection of each top end 337,347,357,367 with each right end 339,349,359,369, respectively. Other corner profiles are considered within this disclosure, including squared corners, perforated, punched, and other profiles. Also shown are bend lines 306,307,308,309 between each of the side panels 130,140,150,160 and between side panel 160 and the attachment panel 310.
Neither the connection cutouts 330,340,350,360 nor the relief punchout panels 334,344,354,364 need be included in every embodiment. In some embodiments, no connection cutouts will be included. In some embodiments, no relief punchout panels will be included. In some embodiments, connection cutouts may be included in fewer than all of the side panels. In some embodiments, relief punchout panels may be included in fewer than all of the side panels. Moreover, if included in an embodiment, either or both of the connection cutouts and the relief punchout panels may be designed as punchout panels for a user to remove or may be supplied as cutout portions with material previously removed, among other configurations. Although features of the blank of
In some embodiments, the funnel 120 need not be assembled by inserting the insertable tab 230 into the slot 225. Instead, in some embodiments, the funnel 120 may be provided with the insertable tab 230 pre-inserted into the slot 225. In alternative embodiments, the connection between upper funnel panels 170 and 200 will be integrated, obviating the need for an insertable tab 230 or slot 225 and thereby obviating the insertion step described above.
As shown in
When the refuse bag 710 is filled, the current embodiment allows removal of the bag stand 100 from the inside of the refuse bag 710 to permit reuse of the bag stand 100 with another refuse bag 710. In alternative embodiments, the bag stand 100 may be discarded along with the refuse and the refuse bag 710. Additionally, in alternative embodiments, the bag stand 100 may be positioned outside of the refuse bag 710 or another bag to be filled, and, thus, the bag stand 100 may not need to be removed from inside of the refuse bag 710 in alternative embodiments.
In some embodiments, the funnel 120 and hollow stand 110 may be provided to the user in a preassembled but flattened arrangement, as seen in
As seen in
As seen in
A user of the bag stand 100, upon receiving the funnel 120 of
This assembly configuration represents one of many possible assembly configurations. One skilled in the art will understand obvious variations of this assembly configuration are included within this disclosure, including variations of steps, combinations of steps, and dissections of steps, among others. Moreover, assumptions about the preassembly configuration of the hollow stand 110 and funnel 120 should not be imported into the assembly configuration. For example, although the user in the current embodiment need insert the insertable tab 230 into the slot 225, in alternative embodiments, the user may need only un-flatten the funnel 120 from a flattened but assembled state as part of the assembly of the bag stand 100. In some embodiments, the lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 need not be included with the funnel 120. Other portions of the lower funnel panels 240,250,260,270 including the connecting fins 290a,b,c,d also need not be included in every embodiment. Where materials are chosen for the elements of this assembly—particularly, corrugated cardboard—similar generally rigid material choices may also be used and would be obvious to one in the art, including corrugated cardboard or paper, linerboard, polymer, plastic, metal, alloy, wood, mesh, laminate, reinforced woven or nonwoven fabric, cellulose, composite, and combinations or mixtures of the foregoing, among others.
Claims
1. A bag stand comprising:
- a hollow stand having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the hollow stand including at least one side panel, each at least one side panel having two ends, each end of each side panel connected to an adjacent end of at least one side panel to form a substantially continuous hollow stand outer surface and a substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface, the substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface defining an opening along the top end of the hollow stand; and
- a funnel having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, a bottom end, and at least two side ends, the funnel defining at least one slot, at least one side end including an insertable tab, the funnel defining an opening at each of the top end and the bottom end of the funnel, the top end of the funnel having a larger opening and the bottom end of the funnel having a smaller opening,
- wherein the funnel and hollow stand may be configured so that the smaller opening of the funnel interfaces with the top end of the hollow stand.
2-3. (canceled)
4. The bag stand of claim 1, wherein the hollow stand includes four side panels.
5. The bag stand of claim 1, wherein the hollow stand defines at least one connection cutout on at least one side panel.
6. The bag stand of claim 5, wherein the funnel further includes at least one connecting fin.
7. The bag stand of claim 1, wherein each side panel defines at least one punchout panel.
8. (canceled)
9. A bag stand comprising:
- a hollow stand having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the hollow stand including at least one side panel, each at least one side panel having two ends, each end of each side panel connected to an adjacent end of at least one side panel to form a substantially continuous hollow stand outer surface and a substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface, the substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface defining an opening along the top end of the hollow stand;
- at least one upper funnel panel, each upper funnel panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, a bottom end, and at least two side ends, each side end of each upper funnel panel connected to at least one side end of at least one adjacent upper funnel panel, the upper funnel panels thereby defining a funnel having a top end and a bottom end; and
- at least one insertable tab connected to at least one side end,
- wherein the funnel defines at least one slot in at least one upper funnel panel,
- wherein the funnel defines an opening at each of the top end of the funnel and the bottom end of the funnel,
- wherein the top end of the funnel includes a larger opening and the bottom end of the funnel includes a smaller opening, and
- wherein the funnel and hollow stand may be configured so that the smaller opening of the funnel interfaces with the top end of the hollow stand.
10-11. (canceled)
12. The bag stand of claim 9, wherein the hollow stand includes four side panels.
13. The bag stand of claim 9, wherein the hollow stand defines at least one connection cutout on at least one side panel.
14. The bag stand of claim 13, wherein the funnel further includes at least one connecting fin.
15. The bag stand of claim 9, wherein each side panel defines at least one punchout panel.
16. (canceled)
17. The bag stand of claim 9, the bag stand including at least one lower funnel panel connected to at least one upper funnel panel.
18. (canceled)
19. The bag stand of claim 17, the bag stand including at least one connecting fin connected to at least one lower funnel panel.
20. The bag stand of claim 19, wherein the hollow stand defines at least one connection cutout.
21. (canceled)
22. A blank formable into a hollow stand, the blank comprising:
- at least one side panel, each at least one side panel including an inner surface; an outer surface; a top end; a bottom end; a right end; and a left end,
- wherein the right end of at least one side panel is connectable to the left end of at least one side panel to form a hollow stand including a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and
- where the hollow stand defines an opening along the top end of the hollow stand.
23. The blank of claim 22, wherein at least one side panel defines at least one connection cutout.
24. The blank of claim 22, the blank including a bend line between each side panel and each adjacent side panel.
25. The blank of claim 22, wherein the blank is made from corrugated cardboard.
26. A blank formable into a funnel, the blank comprising:
- at least one upper funnel panel, each upper funnel panel including a top end, a bottom end, a left end, a right end, an inner surface, and an outer surface;
- at least one lower funnel panel, each lower funnel panel including a top end, a bottom end, a left end, a right end, an inner surface; and an outer surface;
- at least one slot located on the blank; and
- an insertable tab positioned along at least one of the right end and the left end of at least one upper funnel panel,
- wherein the bottom end of at least one upper funnel panel is connected to the top end of at least one lower funnel panel.
27. The blank of claim 26, the blank including a bend line forming the connection between the bottom end of each at least one upper funnel panel and the top end of each at least one lower funnel panel.
28-29. (canceled)
30. A method of assembling a bag stand comprising the steps of:
- receiving a hollow stand having at least one side panel, each side panel having a top end, a bottom end, a left end, and a right end, the right end of each at least one side panel connected to the left end of at least one adjacent side panel, the hollow stand in a flattened arrangement;
- receiving a funnel having at least one upper funnel panel and at least one lower funnel panel, each at least one upper funnel panel having a top end, a bottom end, a left end, and a right end, the funnel in a flattened arrangement;
- unflattening the hollow stand to a shape sufficient to hold open a refuse bag, the shape defining a cross-sectional shape of the hollow stand;
- unflattening the funnel;
- inserting an insertable tab of the funnel into a slot of the funnel to form a funnel shape;
- bending the funnel so that a cross-sectional shape of the funnel corresponds with the cross-sectional shape of the hollow stand;
- placing the funnel onto the hollow stand so that the bottom ends of the at least one upper funnel panel correspond with the top end of the at least one side panel, thereby forming a bag stand.
31-33. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 20, 2011
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2011
Patent Grant number: 8757563
Applicant: PRATT INDUSTRIES (U.S.A.), INC. (Conyers, GA)
Inventor: John Richard Muse (Douglasville, GA)
Application Number: 13/164,473
International Classification: B65B 67/12 (20060101); B65B 39/00 (20060101); B31B 1/50 (20060101);